The New European Construction

Miszlivetz FerencInstitute for Social and

European Studies

Buenos Aires August 2011

The European Construction

I. What is the European Union?

II. In between…

III. Multilevel governance

IV. Is the new Europe inventing itself in its margins?

V. A New Sovereign? – The Finality of the European Construction

VI. After 2007:the end of the post-Cold War period – the beginning of what?

Jean Monnet: Memoirs

„A szavak, amelyekről az emberek vitatkoznak – föderáció vagy konföderáció – inadekvátak és pontatlanok. Amit a Közösség munkájával előkészítünk, valószínűleg példa nélküli. A közösség maga is intézményeken alapul és ezek megerősítésre szorulnak. Ám az a politikai hatalom, amelyet Európa demokráciái egy napon megteremtenek, még kitalálásra és felépítésre vár”

I. What is the European Union?

Difficulties of the definition Unidentifiable political object

Postnational constellation What is the unit of analysis? Europe with a varying geometry

Europe at crossroads Before and after of Eastern

enlargement: Increase of diversity Decrease of economic and social cohesion The slow down of decision-making Moving targets: is there a winner in the

game?

II. In an intermediary state:

Between intergovermentalism and supranationalism

The short breath of the Community method The challenge of Eastern enlargement

The recognition of the crisis2000. „Future of Europe” debate2000. dec. Nice Summit – dialogue - experiment: the

conscious address of the society2001. dec. Laeken: decision about the Convention2002.March – 2003. June: the process of an intensive

constitutionalization2003.The process of constitutionalization2004.Treaty on th European Union2005.Double „No” on the constitution by France and Holland Extending the Community method Plan D

Rediscovering civil society

demos and polity on the level of Europe?

III. Multilevel governance

The reinvention of the mezo-level: New players

Regions, Euroregions, microregions, networks and lobby groups (Machiavelli in Brussles)

The process of Europanization

EU National RegionalLocal

Network - federation

III: Multilevel governance The New Europe – not only larger, also different Borders and Regions – the impact of 1989

Border areas: sensitive spots, lands’ ends, fault lines External becomes internal Income disparties new social tensions after

enlargement Migration, minorities, new bureaucratic barriers

The New Challenge for the Enlarged Europe:How to manage diversity while preserving cohesion?

Towards a New European Border Regime?(Recommendations of the Reflection Group)

IV. Is the New Europe inventing itself in its

Margins? Comparative Study of 5 Euroregions by Notre Europe The cooperation between European border regions

foreshadows tomorrow’s Europe What has changed and who are the main actors?

Working methods taken over reforms New organizations on subregional level (public, semi-

public NGOs) Grouping of municipalities critical mass The new dynamic actors: local leaders Attitude change: institutional dialogue leads to

pragmatism Federalist neighbours stimulating decentralization

Europe of Regions A glass half empty or half full?

IV. Is the New Europe inventing itself in its

Margins? Changing political priorities

Redefining strategies from the bottom up High involvement of media and civil society The gradual emergence of long-term approach

Qualitative results Less hostility, common diagnosis Identitity building – the role of culture Breaking the isolation – network creation Regional planning – a bottom up process

Main obstacles Absence of legal, financial and human resourcesÞ The centralizing nationstate: New, integrated Regional Community Policy is

needed! New instruments to deal with complexities „ European Cooperation Areas”

GYŐR-MOSON-SOPRON

VAS

ZALA

BURGEN-LAND

IV. Is the new Europe inventing itself in its margins?

The West Pannonia Euroregion – The Haydn – Liszt Quartet

IV. Is the new Europe inventing itself in its margins?

The West Pannonia Euroregion

Infrastructure, Business, Labour Common crossborder transportation plan Business parks: Heiligenkreuz – Szentgotthárd (special

status for border crossing) Crossborder cooperation of interregional trade unions

Tourism, Culture, Education Crossborder wellness and historic toursim, bycicle and

wine routs, nature parks Preparation of common cultural heritage eg. Franz Liszt

and Joseph Haydn Festivals etc. People to people projects: music festivals, school

exchanges Multilingual cultural, historic guidebooks „Dear Neighbour” – regional broadcasting On –line Euregio homepage Pannonische Vervassungsdebatte etc.

Regional Planning

Technical Infrastructure

Economic Development

Bicycle paths

Human Resources Develop.

Environment and NatureProtection

Projects financed in the 1995-1999 Phare CBC Programs.

V. A new sovereign? The finality of European Construction

Jacques Delors: „An Ambitions Vision for the Enlarged Europel” – the new political objectives:

1. The Enlarged Europe should become an area of active peace,

2. The framework of sustainable development,

3. And it should treat the European cultural and ethnic diversity with special attention.

V. A new sovereign? The finality of European

Construction

„Europe 2010”: Delors and Forward Studies Unit

1. TRIUMPHANT MARKETS: present trends global nets fast information strengthening firms global middle class national sovereignty

2. „HUNDRED FLOWERS”: the renessainse era of community life anti-globalisation drawing back to the local communities

3. TURBULENT NEIGHBOURS: increasing competition tensions fight for the natural resources

4. CREATIVE SOCIETIES: „Let’s find out…!” – movements social inventors and entrepreneurs

5. SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES: socialdemocratic model6. MUDDLING THROUGH: „as if everything would be all

right” mental and intellectual paralysation panic

V. A new sovereign? The finality of European Construction

Scenarios instead of a certain future The European social model: more than a

market New definitions:

European social and political sphereThe new European time

Demos and politeia on a European level: demoi and heterarchical political sphere?

Constructivism in practice and social sciences

V. A new sovereign? The finality of European Construction

Ambitious plans:New role in world politicsNew research and higher education space

(2010: the establishement of knowledge –based society, to catch up with the USA) European model of sustainable development?= Sustainable Europe – or Pax Democratica = towards positive definitions:the negotiation system of network- governance tuned to problem-solving:„Deliberative democracy”.

Thank you very much for your attention!